Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras

by Canon

• Please see the above description.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 3 x 5.4 inches ; 3.5 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000NP3DJW
• Item model number: 1946B002
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (418 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #18 in Electronics > Camera & Photo > Flashes > Shoe Mount Flashes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 10, 2007

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Further development of Canon's flagship Speedlite has led to the production of the 580 EX II. This is the premier Speedlite for all photographers, including professionals. Newly designed to match with the EOS-1D Mark III in terms of improved dust- and water-resistance, body strength, and the ability to control flash functions and settings from the camera menu (EOS-1D Mark III only). Other features include improved communication reliability through its direct contacts, and recycling time is both 20% shorter than the 580EX and is completely inaudible.

Speedlite 580EX II Flash Highlights

• Approximately 20 percent faster recycling time compared to 580EX
• Superior build quality, including a metal foot for higher rigidity
• Max Guide No. 58 at 105mm setting (GN 190, feet)
• Auto conversion of flash coverage with compatible digital SLR cameras
• White Balance info communicated instantly to compatible digital SLR cameras
• Full swivel, 180 degrees in either direction
• AF-assist beam, compatible with all AiAF points on every EOS SLR
• Dust- and water- resistance to match the EOS-1D Mark III

Product Description

Further development of Canon's flagship Speedlite has led to the production of the 580 EX II. This is the premier Speedlite for all photographers, including professionals. Newly designed to match with the EOS-1D Mark III in terms of improved dust- and water-resistance, body strength, and the ability to control flash functions and settings from the camera menu (EOS-1D Mark III only). Other features include improved communication reliability through its direct contacts, and recycling time is both 20% shorter than the 580EX and is completely inaudible. Approx. 20% faster recycling time compared to 580EX Superior build quality, including a metal foot for higher rigidity Max. Guide No. 58 at 105mm setting (GN 190, feet) Auto conversion of flash coverage with compatible digital SLR cameras White Balance info communicated instantly to compatible digital SLR cameras Full swivel, 180° in either direction AF-assist beam, compatible with all AiAF points on every EOS SLR Dust- and water- resistance to match the EOS-1D Mark III Specifications Compatible Cameras: E-TTL operation with all EOS digital SLRs; PowerShot G2, G3, G5, G6, and Pro1; and the following EOS film cameras - EOS-1v, EOS-3, Elan 7N series, Elan 7 series, Elan II series, Rebel T2, Ti, K2, GII, G. TTL operation with all other 35mm EOS SLRs, and Canon T90. Guide Number: 190 (at ISO 100, feet) / 58 (meters); flash head at 105mm zoom setting Number of Flashes: Approx. 100 to 700, with fresh AA-size alkaline batteries Recycling Time: Approx. 0.1 to 6 seconds, with fresh AA-size alkaline batteries Flash Range: (At ISO 100, wi

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

542 of 560 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What an upgrade! (coming from the 420EX) May 26, 2007

By Pierrick Verilhac

I upgraded from a 420EX to this 580EX II. I got it just in time for a wedding photo shoot, and I must say I was NOT disappointed.

First, its battery life is outstanding. I shot shot more than 650 photos with the flash, most of them bouncing off the tall ceiling, with only ONE set of 4 AA batteries.

Compared to the 420EX, the advantages are huge. The recycling time is amazingly fast. It reminded me of the time the shutted lag difference I noticed when I switched from a compact digital camera to a digital SLR! You can even burst the flash for half a dozen of exposures (bounced off ceiling!) in 2 seconds (interesting for the garter throw!), to match the speed of the Canon 20D or 30D.

The quality of the TTL exposures is also singificantly better than what I would get with the 420EX. 95% of my shots were spot on, using full TTL mode. It is consistently excellent.

The fact that you only need to press one button to move the head of the flash in all directions was what sold me on the 580. What a pleasure to be able to switch from landscape to portrait and still be able to bounce the flash! This simple operation took 3+ seconds on the 420, and only 1 second on this one, which is the difference between getting the shot or missing it (or just giving up trying to get a vertical shot with the flash). The light reflector is also a nice feature, to get a catchlight in your subjects' eyes. However, it won't work if you shoot in portrait mode (will reflect off to the right side).

But the ONE feature that is worth the upgrade alone is the hot shoes quick release mount. Just slide the lever to the right, it clips right into position and is securely mounted on the hot shoe. It is of course just as easy to unmount the flash....

One other very nice feature is the direct access to "second curtain flash", simply by pressing a button on the flash. No need to go wandering into the Cn functions of the camera body!

On the down side, the flash is a lot bigger and bulkier than the 420EX, although not that much heavier. It is a little more difficult to fit it in my camera bag now. It is longer, wider and deeper. The only way to really be able to tell is to have it in your hands. Comparative photos won't really do a good job at showing the difference in size. That said, I had it mounted on my camera the whole day, for more than 8 hours, and it never bothered me.

I haven't even scratched the surface of everything that this flash can do, manual mode, etc, since I got it 2 days before the wedding and didn't have time to explore its features. I can't compare it to the 580EX mark I either, since I am coming from the 420. But if you're in the market to upgrade your flash, don't look twice, and get the mark II right away.

To sum things up, I would say that this flash is worth every penny, and well worth the price premium compared to the 420EX. It beats it hands down in every single category, has an outstanding battery life, and is completely silent (I forgot to mention that). I am not a professional, just an enthusiast, but I can definitely justify its cost, at my level. In other words, you don't need to pair it to a 5D or a 1D Mark III to notice how much better than the 420EX it performs. Read more ›

211 of 215 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "The" Upgrade for your Canon Camera July 3, 2007

By A. Swanson VINE™ VOICE

Amazon Verified Purchase

I read a quote where someone said they'd rather have a good flash than another lens. Bingo! And this is a GREAT flash. I didn't own the original 580, so I can't comment on that. I do however own the 430EX and this is a terrific upgrade from that already very capable flash.
The 580 - in case you don't know - is capable of serving as the master in a master/slave relationship with other Canon flashes. It can, when used in ETTL mode, configure and determine the flash needs of up to three sets of flashes. You can set ratios, create sets and program everything from this one flash.
Alone, it's one powerful little beast! True, it's not a studio monolight, but try taking a set of those out to the park - or even the front yard - to get shots of the kids on prom night. This is a lot bigger than my 430, but not so big that it isn't part of my 'everyday' kit.
For those considering a lesser flash - if you ever intend to use multiple flashes or need a more powerful flash, that 430 or 220 will limit what you can do. If I could do it all over again, I'd certainly purchase the 580 first, last and everything in between.

187 of 195 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Impressive. September 12, 2007

By Michi

I have the 420EX for my Rebel XT. It's a decent flash, but doesn't produce amazing pictures. I promised someone I would take pictures of their wedding and knew I had to get something better. I was very much eyeing the new Sigma EF-530 DG Super. Unfortunately there was not much definite information available, so I found it hard to make an educated decision. In the end I decided to pay the extra money, know that this flash will be compatible with future cameras without hassles and will reliably control my 420EX.

Without a doubt, this flash takes excellent pictures. It also has enough power - the 420EX pictures always seemed like it was on its limit. I am quite the electronics geek and figured most of the controls out without consulting the handbook. I was worried about having to sit down and learn all abouth the MASTER/SLAVE options it has, but to my relief, I switched it into Master, the 420EX into Slave, and wow, the resulting pictures are simply stunning with the 580EX II as Master with the Catchlight Panel and the 420EX bounced.

Yes, this flash is not cheap, but now that I have it, I don't regret spending the money one bit. If you're trying to decide, I recommend to spend the extra money. I can't imagine this flash will disappoint you.

I should mention that the battery panel door is a new design compared to the 420EX and seems very sturdy.

I submitted a few close up pictures here. Especially of the rear panel which seems to be hard to find pictures of.

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Canon's best dedicated flash November 2, 2010

By T. Campbell

If you're on the fence about the 580, it's a fair bet that the other flash you're considering is the Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras. I own both the Speedlite 430EX II and this 580EX II. The 430 is no slouch as a flash, but the 580 is even better.

The similarities: Both support TTL/E-TTL/E-TTL II as well as manual. Both flashes have the same capabilities for bouncing or feathering (head rotates 180 & pivots up 90). Both move the flash element forward or back to broaden the flash for wide angle, or concentrate it for zoom. Both have slide-out wide-diffusers on the head. Both flashes have high speed synchronization, the ability to do 2nd curtain-shutter flashing, and can work as a "slave" in a multi-flash configuration. Both include a quick-release dedicated hot-shoe for Canon cameras and both also come with a mini-stand which also has a threaded hole on it for standard tripod screw mounting (typically only used when firing remotely. Both support Flash Exposure Compensation to +/- 3 stops. Both include a case. That's where the similarities end.

The differences: The 580 has more power & range (Canon claims 190' vs. 141' at ISO 100). Recycling times are much faster (typically at least twice as fast - but to be honest I haven't tried to measure the difference.) The worst-case is a recycle time of just over 3" on the 580 vs. 6" on the 430 -- but that's after a full-power discharge. Typically you can burst off several rapid shots. While both flashes support Flash Exposure Compensation up to +/- 3 stops, the 580 supports Flash Exposure Bracketing (next three shots will fire at 3 different power levels.... While both flashes can behave as a remote/slave flash in a multi-flash configuration (communicating via built-in infrared), ONLY the 580 can work as the primary/master flash unit (I sometimes run a 2nd flash as a side-light to soften harsh shadows when shooting with straight-on flash -- typically when shooting outdoors and there is no ceiling to bounce OR when indoors but the ceiling isn't practical for bouncing. While both the 430 and 580 have slide out wide-diffusers, the 580 also has a slide-out bounce/catch-light card. The 430 handles up to 9 AF focus points (suitable for most any EOS "Rebel" series camera), while the 580 can handle up 45 AF points (suitable for any EOS camera). The 580 supports multi-strobic mode in which you define the frequency (flashes per second) and quantity (how many total flashes) and power level. It's useful for photographing an action shot where you'd like to capture a subject, say an athlete, in multiple positions within a single exposure. The 430 doesn't have it's own multi-strobic mode but if used as a slave, a multi-strobic master can order a 430 to fire repeatedly. The batteries will last longer on the 430 than on the 580 (on average, nearly twice as long) but then the 580 has more power/range and recycles about twice as fast as the 430. I've never had the 580 kill a set of fresh batteries in a full evening of shooting, but if your'e using it heavily, can can get an external battery pack (made either by Canon or by 3rd parties) for the 580. There is no socket for an external battery pack on the 430 (although there are 3rd parties who make an insert pack shaped as a cluster of the four AA batteries with a wire leading to a battery pack you wear over the shoulder or clipped to a belt -- but this requires cutting a hole in the battery door. Physically, the 580 is about 1-1/4" taller (with flash head pointed straight up) is about 1/4" wider and 1/4" thicker.

The bottom line: I like and still use both flashes. Neither is a slouch. Neither has given me any grief or reason to complain. These flashes are made for slightly different target audiences. The 580 has more capabilities. If you're using a Canon EOS "Rebel" and you're not using your camera for professional work, then the 430 is probably more than enough for your needs. If you're using a high-end EOS (non-Rebel), doing professional work, need more power/range, faster recycling speeds, and the abilities to run multiple flashes, then you'll probably want the 580 and I don't think you'll be disappointed with it. It costs more, but it's worth the extra if you plan to use it for the additional features it provides. Read more ›